


Brace for the Worst

by chinesebakery



Series: Season 4 Coda Challenge [5]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: 4x08, Agents of Shield: LMD, Angst, Coda Challenge @The FitzSimmons Network, Drabble, Episode Related, F/M, Speculation, ish?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-07
Updated: 2016-12-07
Packaged: 2018-09-07 03:28:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8781323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chinesebakery/pseuds/chinesebakery
Summary: It's been a few days since the events of 4x08. While Fitz is busy dealing with the aftermath of Eli's dimension tampering, Jemma starts working on a mysterious new project with May.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is an early (and unbeta'ed) coda fic for 4x08– I have a lot of feelings to sort through.

Fitz was already halfway to slumber when he heard the key clicking against the lock. In the silence of their bedroom, he huffed a barely conscious sigh of relief, as he’d taken to do every time they both made it home safe. Ever since the day he spent trapped in a nightmarish interdimensional crawlspace, with Simmons gone and the void’s pull growing stronger, he caught himself bracing for the worst much too frequently. 

The past few days had been especially strenuous. Fitz kept busy investigating the possible long-term destabilising effects of Eli’s divine experiment, under a kind of relentless public scrutiny he had very little patience for, while Jemma, requisitioned by May, worked on yet another project he knew next to nothing about. Whatever it was, it appeared to be sensitive enough to warrant a completely insane work schedule that kept her away from dawn to pitch black. 

He tried not to be to embittered about the two of them being split up yet again, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t tempted to storm Mace’s office and give him a piece of his mind. A dozen times a day, give or take. They were supposed to be partners! How come everyone they’d encountered over the past twelve years had understood that, but _he_ couldn’t–or wouldn’t? 

Rolling onto his back, he listened to the comforting sound of Jemma walking around their apartment, her footsteps getting closer. When she finally entered the room, her silhouette almost indiscernible in the dark, he heard rather than saw her reach for her neatly folded pajamas on her side of the bed, before retreating in the direction of the bathroom. 

“You can turn the light on,” he croaked, his voice rough with sleep. “I don’t mind.” 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you,” she said from the doorway, before shutting the door behind her. 

“I was trying to stay up,” he admitted. “Didn’t want to miss my chance to catch a sight of you today.”

The door opened again and for a brief moment, he could make out her face, regally impassive. He felt the same pang he always did when he first looked at her after some time apart– even after a 18 hour day, hers was still the most beautiful face he’d ever seen. Damn, he was lucky. 

“How did it go with May?” he asked, rubbing exhaustion from his face. 

“Oh, you know,” she gestured evasively as the mattress dipped with her weight. “We’re making progress, but time is of the essence.” 

“You still won’t tell me what it’s all about?” Since she couldn’t see his pouting expression, he tried to infuse his voice with all the pathetic yearning he could muster. “I thought that, now you don’t have to take lie detector tests…” 

“You’ll know all about it soon. I promise,” she said soothingly. “What about you? Did you have a good day, my love?” 

Fitz felt his eyebrows hit his hairline. _“My love?”_

“Well, you _are_ my love,” she said, her tone slightly quizzical. 

“Well, y-yeah but– we– you don’t–” He chuckled awkwardly, surprised to feel himself blushing at the unexpected endearment. “Nevermind. You can call me whatever you want.” He reached for her, wrapping an arm around her waist, and frowned when she stiffened briefly at his touch. “Just– maybe stick to ‘Fitz’ around other people. So my natural authority remains intact.” 

Silently, Jemma removed his hand from her body before she settled down to sleep. “You should probably keep your distance, Fitz,” she explained. “I think I’m coming down with something.”


End file.
